xbox DVD layout writer
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I'm not sure why I ask or even why I would want it, but it would be cool (very cool). While sitting in a game developer's lecture, he showed a Screenshot of the ms "xbox dvd layout writer" - I just called it that for lack of a better name.
It allows developers to order their files on a xbox dvd, for example: Inside tracks are slower but no figerprints and Outside tracks are faster but get fingerprints etc...
Does anyone know what I'm talking 'bout? AND wher I could DL it from (on the QT)?
There are many tools that allow you to lay out the image like this, for all platforms. Dont know of any off hand, but yeah, I know what you are talking about :)
Sounds like the "Xbox Game Disc Authoring Tool".
It comes as part of the Xbox XDK, which of course is only available to licensed Xbox developers, publishers and suppliers (middleware etc). And no, that isn't publically available (and GameDev policy says that posting links to illegal downloads isn't permitted either).
Much of the interesting stuff in that tool is Xbox specific (such as using access patterns from the emulator to optimise layout); It isn't very useful unless you're mastering Xbox games for submission and production.
Many PC CD/DVD authoring tools do support custom disc layouts and some even come with CAV optimisation tools.
CAV is Constant Angular Velocity, it's the reason why the data rate changes across the surface of the CD/DVD. The CD/DVD spins at a constant rate, but there are more sectors on the outer edge of the CD/DVD so the data rate is higher there (i.e. more sectors seen per rotation).
The absolute outer edge of a CD/DVD isn't a good place to write though due to physical factors such as the disc wobbling (often the drive then reduces spindle speed and tries to refocus the laser - not good).
The final, and perhaps most important piece of optimisation is avoiding seeks where possible - i.e. where possible, and where especially high data rates aren't necessary for that particular file (for FMV for example) all the data should be layed out in the order the game will access it on the disc.
A Google for something like CAV+optimization+CD should get you some links to more information on this, and to publically available PC tools for laying out and optimizing CD/DVDs.
It comes as part of the Xbox XDK, which of course is only available to licensed Xbox developers, publishers and suppliers (middleware etc). And no, that isn't publically available (and GameDev policy says that posting links to illegal downloads isn't permitted either).
Much of the interesting stuff in that tool is Xbox specific (such as using access patterns from the emulator to optimise layout); It isn't very useful unless you're mastering Xbox games for submission and production.
Many PC CD/DVD authoring tools do support custom disc layouts and some even come with CAV optimisation tools.
CAV is Constant Angular Velocity, it's the reason why the data rate changes across the surface of the CD/DVD. The CD/DVD spins at a constant rate, but there are more sectors on the outer edge of the CD/DVD so the data rate is higher there (i.e. more sectors seen per rotation).
The absolute outer edge of a CD/DVD isn't a good place to write though due to physical factors such as the disc wobbling (often the drive then reduces spindle speed and tries to refocus the laser - not good).
The final, and perhaps most important piece of optimisation is avoiding seeks where possible - i.e. where possible, and where especially high data rates aren't necessary for that particular file (for FMV for example) all the data should be layed out in the order the game will access it on the disc.
A Google for something like CAV+optimization+CD should get you some links to more information on this, and to publically available PC tools for laying out and optimizing CD/DVDs.
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